Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-06-24
Lee and AverilI on the Flag Furry.

Two utuerances,the battle flag furry has
ing to our readers as coming from two
noted ex.Confederate and ex-Union caval-
ry officers-Fitz Lee and W. W. Averell,
who but recently appeared here on the
same platform and the sound of whose
fraternal words has hardly yet died out.
To press man who called at the guberna-
torial mansion to interview him on the
unexpected utterances OF the Grand Army
Posts, Gov. Lee said
'The proposition to return Southern
battle flags did not originate with South
ern soldiers. While they would have
accepted again their banners bathed in
the blood of brave comrades, they recognize
that flags captured in battle are the prope rty
of the victors, and are content to let them re-
main in their charge. Flags captured from
Northern troops by Southern soldiers have
been returned. The country should not again
be agitated by pieces of bunting that mean
nothing now. The South is part and parcel
of the Union to-day, and means to do her part
towards increasing the prosperity and main
tanning the peace of the Republic whether the
flags rot in Washington, or are restored to
their former custodians. If any man hauls
uOWu tuo AidGIlCdH nag 6uOOb I'LL OA GuC
spot; but don't let us get into trouble because
other flags simply change their resting place.
They will not go into the hands of standard
bearers.
Gen. W. W. Averell is at present in
New York city and the N. Y. "Sun"
prints The following interview with him:
eff Gen. Fairchild is correctly reported he
does not represent the Union [ fought for and
4 IL
Averell the great Union cavalry General.
''Those remarks last night do not contemplate
the peace for which Gen. Grant pleaded after
the war. When that order was received by
Gov. Fitzhugh Lee last Saturday [ was his
guest in Richmond. Senator Wade Hampton
was also present. 1t was regarded by both of
them with the greatest satisfaction. My reason
for being there was that [ was attending the
ceremonies at Staunton over the Confederate
dead. Being the first Federal officer to accept
such an invitation I was enthusiastically re-
ceiyed. The most intense desire of the South
is not to be misunderstood by the Northern
people. While they chung to and cherished
the memories of their heroic dead these senti-
ments did not conflict with or antagonize their
allegiance to the Union which they accepted
when their armies surrendered. Not SEN
sibe Southern man would call back the old
condition or change the present if he could.
was a wise one. Those who are protesting
against it seem to forget that we fought for
the Union, not union of law and force,
but union of hearts. If the restoration of
these battle flags to those who bore them SO
bravely will remove any irritating remem-
brance, let them go. We do not need them to
attest our triumph. A prosperous and loving
Union of the States should be sufficient. The
battle flag of the Twenty-eighth New York
was returned to that regiment two or three
years ago, and the Southern soldiers who cap
tured it went in a body to Buffalo for that
purpose, and brotherhood between the two
regiments, Northern and Southern, was there
by cemented. Other instances of the restora-
ton of captured swords and arms have fire.
quently occurred. There was o high and
noble purpose in these reservations worthy Of
the best manhood of both SIDES This order of
the President should be supported by every
true soldier of the North.'